Pressing machine mechanism and locking means



rMany 30, 19,44. l E. DAvls 2,350,153

ERESSING MACHINE MECHANISM AND LOCKING MEANS A TTORNE YS.

E. DAVIS May 30, 1944.

`PRLSSIING MACHINE MECHANISM AND LOCKING MEANS Filed May 5, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 R W S m n V 0 mmm .l t m R 5% W Il Patented May 30, 1944 LGC'KING MEANS PRESSING MACHINE MECHANisM AND Ernest Davis, Syracuse, N. Y.,` assignor to The Prosperity Company, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation vof New York I Y Application May 3, 1941, Serial'N'o. 391,776

6 Claims. (Cl. 38-36) This-invention relates to machines having an opening andclosing movement, as garment and laundry pressing machinesand has for its object means `for locking the machine closed, which locking means is operated into a iinal operating,

position by an inert or momentum member set in motion by the closing movement of the machine or press, and more specically a locking means including a toggle which is moved toward a straight or dead center line passing through the pivotal pointsof the toggle, by the closing It further has for its object a press actuating in the actuating mechanism or between two Arela-- tivelymovable par-ts thereof.

Theinvention consists in the novelfeatnres and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference `is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figures l and 2 are side elevations, partly in section, of a pressing machine embodying this invention, showing the press in open and closed positions respectively.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing the locking means and the contiguous portions of `parts of the actuating mechanism when the lock is in locking position and the press closed.

.Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view of the locking means showing the.- same in its x normal or unlockedA position, when the press is open. e

Figure 5 is an enlarged rear elevation looking to the left in Figure 3. I i

view through one of the hydraulic shock absorb- ,y

ers or dash pots.

The invention is here illustrated as embodied in a garment or laundry press, which is fooi-operated, although it may be embodied in any machine having an opening and closing movement.

The machine may be of any suitable form, size and construction. It includes an upper pressing element or head I movable toward and from a lower pressingelement or buck 2. suitably mounted on a bracket 3 on the frame 4 of the machine.

, .15 mechanism and also the embodying of the lock The headl is carried at the "front end of. a yoke lever 5 pivoted between its ends at 6 to a standard 'l rising from the'frame in the rear of the buck 2, the pivot 6 being located near the level of `the pressing face of the buck 2.

The actuating mechanism here shown include a forwardly and rearwardly, horizontally extendinfg lever 8 pivoted at its rear end at 9 to thebase of the frame on a transverse horizontal axis, so that the front end of the lever moves vertically, and motion transmitting mechanism between the foot lever 8 and the yoke lever 5. This lever 8 is; in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a pedal lever and is .provided with a foot plate Il)` at its front end. The motion transmitting means includes an upwardly extending lever II pivoted at I2 between its ends to brackets or webs |26 on the frame, and cooperates at its lower end through a follower and `slot connection with the lever 8, a link I3 pivoted at one end at I4 to lthe upper end of the lever I I and atiits other end at I5 to the short arm IB of a lever Il pivoted at I8 to the rear arm I9 ofthe lever 5. The `long `arm of the lever IT is pivoted at 20 to a link 2| which is anchored at its front end to theyoke lever 5 through an adjusting lever `2i. pivoted thereto at 23. The longarm of the lever Il and the link 2l are curved to conform to the curvature of the yoke lever 5, this yoke lever being hollow and the lever II and link 2l being located therein. Normally, the lever I1 and link 2|v act as a unit rigid with the yoke lever 5. The adjusting lever 22 is held invany adjusted Eposition by a suitable rackand pawl mechanism. It is shiftable on its pivot to vary the radial angle of the short arm I6 of the lever I1 to adjust the pressure to compensate for settling of the compressible resilient padding on the lower `pressing element. l

The slot and follower connection between the link or lever II and the foot lever `8, as here shown, comprises a slot formed in a rearwardly `extending angular'arm `24 at the lower end of the vposition when the press is open and shifts to an upright position, as the'press closes. The slot includes a` portion 25` which is horizontal, when the press is open, as seen in Figure 1, and a portion 21 inclined slightly out of the horizontal, `the follower being arranged, when the press is open, in the horizontal portion. When the press closes, as the lever Il shifts about its axis I2, the slot moves into a generally upright position, as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 6. The-closing movelment ofthe press is against the action of suitable countersprings 28, which are also connected tothe lever 8 to return it to starting position.`

I'he press is intended to be preliminarily closed "I 3 and the lever 8.

of the friction between the follower andthe Wall f of the slot, when the pedal is being depressed and the follower moving in a forward and down'- ward extending arc about Ithe'axiscil. During. the closing of the press, the upper arm ofthe lever II swings rearwardly about the axis I2 from the position shown in Figure 1 toward that shown inr Figure 2, moving the slot in the arm 24 into an upright position, and when the follower moves in" to the portion 21 of the slot and the follower, due to the pivotal movement of the lever 8, presses against. thel front wall `of th e slot, the lever II yand link I3 is caused to movejinto the position shown in Figure 2. u

The closing of the presstoapc-sition wherein the head. I is close to the buck 2 is therefore rthrough a .quick acting' high leverage ratio through the lever II until the lever II andlink I3 move from folded position (Figure 1) toward straightened position (Figure 2) through a reduction leverage `while the follower 25 of the .pedal lever is jmoving down the portion 21 of the camv slot andthe levery I I and link .I3 are moving farther toward a straight line. The

:pivotalrnovement of the' lever 'is controlled by l shock absorbers Vwhich govern and smooth the closing, and opening movements. The shockabsorbers here illustrated arecf the dash .pot or cylinder and piston type.

an designates the eynnderf medas'h por.; lel .1

the piston therein, the rodl 32 of which is pivoted at 33 to an angulararm 34 rigid with the lever II and( radial with the'axis ofthejlever. The cylinder 30 is pivoted' at.35 to the .frame to have an oscillating movement. The angular arm V34 isv adjustable .to vary thev relative radial angle thereof;` It ,is here shown'as one arm of a bell 'crank lever pivoted Vat its angle on the axis I2 and lyingA alongside the `leveixII and secured thereto in any one of a plurality of angular positions by a boltr34l|` 'passing through an arcuate slot 34|,into the lever I I. A similar shock absorber is connectedy to the lever 8.

As seen in'Figure 5, there are two parallel links I-fiorV the link I3.y is double, as is also the foot lever 8 which is double or bifurcated and the lever II mounted between the bifurcations of the link The locking means for locking the press in final closed positionqand operated into final locking position by an inert or momentum member, comprises toggle links 4I, 42 pivotedfat like ends together at 43 and at their other ends to the lever Figures 2 and 3, the weight continues under its momentum to move the toggle links 4| and 42 from the position shown in Figure 5, wherein they are short of the dead center line passing through the points I2, 43 and 25, into a position in which the joint 43 of the toggle is in or beyond in a forward direction such dead center line. The

' joint at 43 is a stop joint functioning as a knuckle joint.

'10 lmovement by means of the pedal I0 is a continu- It is understood that the nal closing ation without pause of the preliminary closing 'or'link II and to the levera respectively, they being here shown as p ivoted concentric with the pivotalV axis l2 of thelever I I and with the axis of the follower 25 respectively. The inert or weighted meinber`44 A consists of an arm rigid with one ofthe links, as' the link 4I, andghere 'illustrated as forming va bell crank lever therewith and a weight 45 adjustable Valong the arm. The toggle consisting ofthe links 4I and 42 is in folded positionwhen the press'is open, as yseen in Figures l Iand 4. When the press is moved to preliminarily closedposition, either by pulling down on the' handlev 29 o r pressing down o n the floot lplate I0 of thev leverfB, the inert vmember 445 is startedin motion', swingingrearwardly about the pivot I2 and by the time the press reaches finally closed position, which is the position shown in movement of the handle 29 or the foot lever 8. The press is thus locked closed by the straightened toggle.

To openthe Dress, operator-operatedmeans is employed to start the folding of the'toggle outof dead center line, :so that the press will openunder the inuence of counter'springs 2 8. This release mechanismis shown as a pedal 4 6 pivotedat 41 to the base of theframe `and having an upwardly extending arm 48 which coacts Awith an adjustable head 49 on an arm 5B forming a 4continuation beyondthe pivotal point 25 of the link 4 2 of the toggle. The movement of the foot lever vlli is against the action of a returning spring 5|.

The foot pedal 45 may also be actuated by a hand lever 5 2 connected to the lever 46 by a .link 53. When the'press is. to b e opened, either the pedal 46 is depressedthis being usually referred to as the kick-oi pedal or the hand lever 52 may be operated to initiate thefolding of the toggle links 4 I, 42 toward the position shown'in Figure 1 `from theposition shown in Figures 2 and `3. T he opening shock is cushioned and smoothedby the ,shock absorber'or dash pot 3 0. anda similar dash pot, the cylinder 300 of which is pivoted at 3M tothe lever 8 to have an oscillating movementand the piston rod 320 of which is pivoted at 302 tothe frame. These dash pots are substantially alikein construction and are shown in Figure 7, one acting on the motion` transmitting lmechanism and theother on thel actuator lever 8.'.In the form shown in Figure '7, the cylinder is formed with an enlarged portion of its borev 5.4 at itsv lower end, a narrower central portion 55 and a widening upper portion 5 5. Thepiston isformed with passages 5I therethrough from either side to the `other and the head'58 of the cylinder is also formed with passages 59into and out of chamber 6 3 in the head. The arrangement is ysuch vthat yduring the closingmovement of the press,A while the piston is moving upwardly from the lower end of the cylinder 3&1, there is a minimum resistance and-after the head is started in motion or its staticv inertia overcome, thereis a greater resistance due to the piston passing through the narrow central portion 55 of the bore, of the cyl# inder, until the head reaches` preliminarily closed position close to the buck, when the piston passes into the wider upper portion 56 of the cylinder while the head is going under nal pressure. During the opening movement of thekpress, when the release pedal is operated, the piston momentarily has a relatively free movement, although not an entirely free movement, as there is' always hydraulic or oil resistance, and then the opening'rnovement andrebound is checked or smoothed until the parts approach fully open position. l The construction o-f they shock absorber perse forms no part of this invention.

The lower pressing element 2 usually has applied theretoa compression spring padding. This "gradually settles during the use ofthe machine and a pressure adjustment is desirable. 'Ihis is accomplished by shifting the pressure adjusting lever 22 to change the initial radial angle of the lever arm I 6.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine having an opening and closing movement, and means operable toA close the machine including operator controlled actuating mechanism and motion transmitting mechanism operable thereby, said mechanisms including elements connected directly together, the combina tion of means for locking the machine closed including a lock mem-ber movable with and relatively to the motion transmitting element, an inert member coacting with the lock member to set it in motion upon movement of the motion transmitting element by the actuating element, and a part actuated by the lock member, said part coacting with the element of the actuating mechanism to hold the actuating and the motion transmitting mechanisms in operated position, whereby the locking mechanism is free of transmitting motion and the transmission of motion is confined to the motion transmitting mechanism.

2. In a machine having an opening and closing movement, and means operable to close the machine including actuating mechanism and motion transmitting mechanism operable thereby, said mechanisms including elements connected directly together, the combination of means for locking the machine closed including a lever pivoted to and movable on its pivot relatively to the motion transmitting element and having an arm provided with a weight and a link pivoted to the lever and to the actuating element, the lever and the link forming a normally folded toggle when the machine is open, which toggle is movable toward straight position by the movement of the motion transmitting mechanism by the actuating mechanism and moved to finally straightened locking position under the momentum of the weighted lever, whereby the toggle is free of transmitting motion to close the press and the transmission of motion is coniined to the motion transmitting mechanism.

3. In a machine having an opening and closing movement, means operable to close the same f including a forwardly and horizontally extending, vertically movable, actuator lever pivoted near its rear end, motion transmitting means operated thereby including an upright lever pivoted between its ends having a cam slot in its lower end, the upright lever being located toward the front end of the actuator lever at an angle thereto, the actuator lever having a follower movable in the slot, the slot extending in a general horizontal direction and movable into a vertical position as the upright lever swings about its pivot during closing of the machine, locking means including an inert member carried by the upright lever and set in motion by the swinging movement thereof and movable relatively thereto, and means operable under the momentum of the inert member relatively to the upright lever to lock the machine in nal closed position.

4. In a machine having an opening and closing movement, means operable to close the same including a forwardly and horizontally extending, vertically movable, actuator lever pivoted near its rear end, motion transmitting means operated thereby including an upright lever pivoted between its ends having a cam slot in its lower end, the upright lever being located toward the front end of the actuator lever at an angle thereof, the actuator lever having a follower movable in the slot, the slot extending in a general horizontal direction and movable into a vertical position as the upright lever swings about its pivot during closing of the machine, locking means including toggle links pivoted at their like ends respectively to the actuator lever and to the upright lever and at their other ends being pivoted together, an inert member rigid with the toggle link pivoted to the upright lever and set in motion by the swinging movement of the upright lever to nally straighten the toggle when the machine iinally closes, and means operable to initiate the folding of the toggle from straightened position.

5. In a machine having an opening and closing movement including a frame, cooperating pressing elements, one of which is movable toward and from the other, actuating mechanism for the movable element including an actuator, motion transmitting mechanism `between the actuator and the movable pressing element operable to quickly close the press from open to nearly closed position through a high ratio leverage upon small movement of the actuator, and to close the press under iinal pressure through a reduction leverage upon comparatively great movement of the actuator, and means in addition to, independent of and co-operating with, the motion transmitting mechanism, for locking the press closed including an inert member set in motion by the movement of the motion transmitting mechanism during the quick closing of the press from open to nearly closed'position, the locking means having an idling movement relatively to the actuating and the motion transmitting mechanisms, under the momentum of the inert member.

6. In a machine having an opening and clos ing movement including a frame, cooperating pressing elements, one oi, which is movable to-V ward and from the other, operator controlled actuating mechanism for the movable element including an actuator, motion transmitting mechanism between the actuator and the movable pressing element having a long high leverage movement to close the press from open to nearly closed position upon small movement of the actuator, and a reduction leverage movement to close the press under nal pressure upon comparatively great movement of the actuator, means for locking the press closed including toggle links pivoted together at adjacent ends and at their remote ends respectively to one of the motion transmitting parts and to the actuator and arranged to have an idling movement relative to said one of the motion transmitting parts and the actuator, said links being normally arranged in folded position and movable toward a straight line position, as the press closes from open to nearly closed position, and an inert member set in motion by the closing of the press from open position and also having an idling movement relatively to said one of the motion transmitting parts and the actuator, said inert member coacting with the toggle to straighten the same into a locking straight line position when the press closes under the reduction leverage action of the motion transmitting mechanism.

ERNEST DAVIS. 

